Relinquish(10)

Walking up to the café, I see Chasen and a bunch of his football buddies just entering the little restaurant, all hooting and hollering. My eyes catch a guy in a black suit, standing out like a sore thumb amongst the college kids, sitting at a table along the back of the patio. Oh, my God, it’s the sexy guy I bumped into yesterday. My stomach clenches at the recognition. He gives Chasen and his buddies an irritated look and stands to leave.

“Did you get the job?” My eyes tear away from Sexy Suit and find Chasen leaning over a table, his forehead covered in sweat as he stares at me intently.

“I did. I start first thing in the morning. Thank you. I owe you one,” I inform him, smiling big.

“Hmm, I might take you up on that offer.” He winks, making my belly flutter with butterflies.

I tuck some stray hair behind my ear and bite my bottom lip to keep from laughing like a bimbo.

“Chasen, what do you want to drink?” one of his football buddies yell behind him.

“See you around, Charlie.”

“Yeah, see ya,” I offer.

Walking around the patio towards my street, Sexy Suit charges out of the café, nearly running into me.

“This is becoming a nasty habit of yours,” he states, his deep voice coming out like silk as he runs his hand through his dark hair. Little strands defy staying in place and fall just below his ear. His hair is longer than I thought, and it looks f*cking sexy messy.

“I—” I’ve lost my words, I can’t speak. There’s something about this man that has me dumbfounded yet completely aroused. The feeling I get around him is so foreign. The bimbo state I seem to fall in around cute guys like Chasen could never compare to the surreal feeling I get around this guy.

“What’s your name?” he questions, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

“Charlie,” I reply meekly.

“Charlie,” he repeats. My name slipping from his perfect lips makes my knees tremble it sounds so erotic. “Charlie, I’m Landon. I’d watch yourself around those dumb f*cks.” Like someone snapped their fingers, my lusty haze vanishes, the cool demeanor of Landon fading with his sudden use of profanity.

“Excuse me?” I question, startled by his outburst.

“Just make sure you’re all in when you’re around them.” He leans in, tucking a strand of hair sticking to my sweaty face behind my ear. His touch causes that glaze of desire to resurface instantly. I close my eyes and blow out a steady breath, trying to gain some self-control.

“All in? What is that, like a gambling term?” I question with a half-laugh.

Landon smirks, his eyes squinted as he looks me over.

“It means you’re in it one-hundred percent. You bet everything you have on it. There’s no going back, no regrets. You’re all in.”

I bite my inner cheek, ‘cause when I think of Chasen, I don’t get the feeling of being ‘all in’. It feels more like… having fun.

“Just be careful, yeah?” he rasps, drawing me out of my thinking spot.

“Yeah,” I reply softly. “I can take care of myself.”

His lips curve to the side and he nods. “See you around, Charlie.”





FOUR


CHARLIE


“What the f*ck, Jayden? Did you turn the alarm off?” I frantically question, falling out of the bed. The unforgiving floor slams against my kneecaps as I land, tangled in the sheets.

“You kept hitting snooze, and I was trying to sleep,” she grumbles into her pillow.

“Nice. Well, you sleep while I rush to get a job so we can afford food!” I don’t hold back my sarcasm. I fling on the only decent thing I can find in my closet. It’s a little black dress which cuffs my shoulders and falls to my thighs. I got it at the thrift store, hence the little holes here and there, and the tatters along the hem. I glance at my poor shoe collection, wondering what I should wear with it.

“Flip-flops?” I question out loud with distaste.

“Use mine,” Jayden mumbles, sitting up in her bed and pointing at her addiction of shoes. Her hair consists of little curls spiked up everywhere. “I think we’re the same size, or close at least.”

I run over to her shoes and find some shiny, black high heels.

“These are nice!” I admire, turning them every which way. They’re not from a thrift store, for sure; there’s not a scuff on them.

“Thanks. I got them at a five-finger discount.” I raise my eye at her as she rolls over on her bed, pulling the sheet over her naked ass.

“With me getting this job, you won’t have to steal,” I inform her, but she doesn’t respond. I’m not a hypocrite—I’ve stolen my fair share of shit, of course—but Jayden deserves better than that. We deserve better than that.

Slipping my feet into the heels, they fit perfectly. Hopefully, I don’t break my neck in them.

“Well, they look hot on my feet, even if they are stolen,” I giggle. I look at the shitty alarm clock, noticing it’s 6:50 a.m. Shit, I’m never going to make it.

“I’ll be back!” I yell, running toward the door.

“Open this f*cking door!” sounds from the outside of our apartment door, along with a loud thumping of a fist against wood.

I stop in my tracks and look back at Jayden, sitting straight up in her bed, fully alert.